Blood Oath by Morgan B. Lee
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

Blood, Secrets, and One Golden Retriever Dragon

This was my first Morgan B. Lee book and let me tell you—Blood Oath delivers on its promises: action, sexual tension, and a badass heroine. Check, check, and check.

Now, let’s get something straight—this isn’t a story with a whole lot of progress. Think of it less as a novel and more as an extended character introduction with plot seasoning. If you're here for answers... well, buckle up for the long ride.

We won’t be getting any real answers in this one. This is foreplay—story-wise and otherwise.

Click to reveal spoiler

Let’s talk Maven. First of all, props for the name. Feels like she could teach a tech startup and slay demons in the same breath. She’s painted as our resident badass, but that blade rarely gets drawn unless absolutely necessary. Emotionally? She’s Fort Knox. I spent a good chunk of the book willing her to emote—just a little, girl! But, deep down, we all know there's trauma brewing under that frosty exterior. And I wanted in. Now the men—oh, the men. As broken as Maven and just as guarded, but Baelfire? That sunshine dragon shifter stole the whole damn show. Golden Retriever energy in a six-foot-something package with wings. We love to see it. Plot-wise, we’re circling around Maven’s mysterious mission—one that only gets revealed at the tail end. She’s forbidden from bonding with her quintet, and naturally, the tension only thrives in those conditions. It’s a familiar setup for RH readers, but hey, it works. The writing is smooth, and Maven’s internal monologue is the best part—she may be emotionally locked up on the outside, but her brain has jokes, doubts, and plenty to say. And when I say slow burn, I mean it smolders until it combusts. Three out of the four men join Maven in a deliciously chaotic foursome. Silas gets the first pleasurable round, but Bael? He earns gold-star status with her first orgasm. Mouth. Watering. I need more.

If you're craving a fast-paced RH story with bite, heat, and a whole lot of mysterious brooding, give this a go. It's not about the destination—yet—but the tension-filled ride. Already cracking open book two. Meet me there?

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That Sik Luv by Jescie Hall
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

Depravity Delivered — Depth Not Included

Content Warning: Very graphic sex scenes and heavy degradation. If that’s not your thing, I do not recommend this book.

Now, if you're still here after that warning, let me tell you why I pushed through this book.

What’s better than erotica? A dark romance erotica. I’ll admit — my first impression wasn’t great, but there was a plot buried underneath all the filth, and I wanted to uncover it.

(view spoiler)[This is a seriously messed-up story, and with that comes some very messed-up themes. I didn’t enjoy how the book portrayed religion as an all-consuming evil. However, by the end, it became clearer that it was targeting a specific congregation, not the faith as a whole.

Let’s talk characters — starting with Briony. She was, by far, my biggest disappointment. The concept of a heroine trying to find her voice is compelling, but the execution fell flat. She comes across as bland, driven solely by lust and an almost complete lack of awareness. A damsel in distress who doesn’t realize she’s in distress. I couldn’t relate to her, sympathize with her, or even feel for her — mostly because, chapter after chapter, she just grated on me. She teetered endlessly between wanting to submit and resisting it. That said, she did come into her own in the sex scenes — and I mean that as a compliment. Exploring your sexuality isn’t always straightforward, and her response to Aero’s degrading words and actions felt raw, honest, and, yes, hot.

Aero, now. He’s sick and he knows it. Emotionally stunted, socially maladjusted, and yet magnetic in his twisted way. His schemes are complex, private, and often left for both Briony and the reader to unravel. He’s broken, sexy, scared, and absolutely convinced of his own power — a “god,” in his words. But stalking a girl (because let’s be honest — 18 is barely an adult) her whole life will do that to you... and your dick.

We do get answers in the end — barely. Aero “cleanses” Briony, and in return, she... fingers him? Yeah. Even knowing his traumatic history, she does it as part of some self-styled cleansing ritual. Was it hot? Yes. Was it problematic? Also yes. The scene left me conflicted — Briony’s actions were framed as redemptive, but they ignored his trauma. She gave up her virginity; he had to give up everything, including his boundaries. The imbalance was jarring. (hide spoiler)]

What ultimately sets me off about this book is the blandness of the characters. But what kept me going was the sex and the mystery. It's erotica — and it delivered what it promised: filthy, degrading, explicit scenes. And I ate it up. I have no shame in admitting I stuck around just to read the next depraved chapter.

I stayed for the filth. I stayed to make sense of a plot that only really clicked in the final moments — complete with a dramatic "I'm your father" reveal.

So here’s my final verdict:
Read this for the erotica, not the characters.
Don’t expect depth. Don’t expect emotional payoff.
Expect depravity and filth, and you'll be begging for more.
This is exactly what the book is: a dirty, twisted story of two broken people clinging to each other in all the wrong ways — and it works if that’s what you’re here for. "It’s sick love. And it’s entirely ours to own."

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Verity by Colleen Hoover
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Trust No One, Believe Nothing

Verity was my first book by Colleen Hoover, and if this is how she introduces herself, I’m mildly terrified to read another—*in the best way*. Recommended by a friend who clearly enjoys watching me emotionally unravel. The blurb? Practically a lullaby compared to what’s actually inside. I thought I was walking into a twisty romance. Instead, I was dragged into a psychological mind game with a cast of deeply messed-up people and zero emotional safety nets. Delightful.

From page one, I was hooked. By chapter three, I couldn’t breathe. The suspense had me reshuffling my internal theory board like a tinfoil-hat-wearing detective on a coffee bender. Each revelation shattered the last. Each twist left me blinking at the page like, “Excuse me?!”

This book doesn’t end with closure. It ends. Period. Your reward for surviving the chaos? A final page that flips your brain inside out and then walks away without explanation. Hoover really said, “Figure it out, babe.”

Click to reveal spoiler

My initial theory? Verity’s faking it, Lowen’s the outsider dragged into a mess, Jeremy’s the sweet but grieving husband. And okay, parts of that hit—sort of. But then things got murky. Lowen ends up in Verity’s house reading what might as well be a handwritten horror film. That manuscript? If I had a dollar for every time I whispered “what the hell,” I could buy Verity a conscience. And then Verity dies. Dead dead. And I thought, “Well, deserved, honestly.” Until—bam—a letter appears. Maybe the manuscript was fiction. Maybe Jeremy *knew* more than he let on. Maybe *nobody* is who we thought they were. Jeremy? I don’t trust him. He nursed Verity through her fake coma even though he knew she was a monster—or was she? Compassion or control? And don’t get me started on how quickly he moved on to Lowen. “Slow burn” my foot—this man had a fire extinguisher ready for one relationship and a matchbox lit for the next. Lowen herself? More observer than heroine. I didn’t connect with her emotionally, but it worked—I felt like a bystander stuck watching a trainwreck in slow motion. That said, when she *intentionally* keeps Jeremy’s sperm to maybe get pregnant? Ma’am. You *do* realize that’s straight out of the Verity playbook, right? It’s a circle of unhinged decisions, and I couldn’t look away.

Verity left me mentally fried in the most satisfying way. I trusted no one, questioned everything, and still feel like I lost a game I didn’t know I was playing. It’s disturbing, manipulative, utterly gripping—and I loved every second.

Do I recommend it? Absolutely. Will it ruin your night? Also absolutely. Let’s descend into literary madness together.

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Krol's Goddess by V.C. Lancaster
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Slow Burns & Space Toddlers

Let me be honest: after Unbonded, I was nervously eyeing this final installment like it might try to emotionally waterboard me again. Ruth’s Bonded and Gron’s Fated had me fully hooked, but Unbonded? That one felt like being third-wheeled to a toxic couple's therapy session. So when I cracked open Krol’s Goddess, I braced myself.

Reader, I was wrong—in the best way. What I got was a delightfully cozy adventure, served up with emotional depth, just the right pinch of drama, and a four-year-old ape-toddler named Ryll who could charm the scales off a xeno-lizard.

Naomi, Krol, and Ryll make one heck of a trio. The dynamic is warm, a little messy, and totally endearing. Think "found family" but with more mud, rain, and alien survival stakes.

Click to reveal spoiler

Krol’s backstory hit me right in the heart. He’s been through it—loss, isolation, single parenthood—but he’s still just doing his best with a very energetic and occasionally sticky Ryll. Enter Naomi: strong, capable, and definitely not the passive, wide-eyed alien damsel trope. She challenges Krol, co-parents Ryll like a champ, and makes him rethink everything he thought he knew about human females. What follows is an emotionally satisfying trek through wild weather, bonding moments, and survival antics. The rainy season forces them into close quarters, which leads to tender scenes of building trust, chasing toddler chaos, and yes—plenty of playing and napping while waiting out the storm. And Ryll? He steals every scene he’s in.

The romance is tagged as “slow burn,” and they really meant slow—but when it ignites, it burns in all the right ways. The pacing works, giving space for real emotional development and the building of a relationship that feels earned.

Overall, Krol’s Goddess is the sci-fi equivalent of a warm cup of cocoa during a thunderstorm—if your cocoa came with interspecies bonding, jungle dangers, and a fuzzy toddler climbing on your head. I adored the fresh perspective, the softened edges of alien survival, and the warmth that wrapped around even the hardest moments.

If you like your alien romances with heart, humor, and a little chaos courtesy of a small, hairy sidekick, this one’s for you.

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